The Daily Nation yesterday published a fascinating piece on the sad story of Kariuki. Read it HERE.
In fact Kariuki was lucky in that he missed the hangman's noose by a whisker. And it all happen simply because he was the “wrong tribe.”
Mulinge with Mahmood Mohammed in the 80s
Senior military and even police appointments have always been political. The insecure Kenyan presidency in the past has been uncomfortable about having any senior security men close to them whom they do not trust completely. And quite often those they trust have ended up being people from their own villages and where possible relatives. Both Ben Gethi who headed GSU and Bernard Hinga (police commissioner) were relatives of President Jomo Kenyatta. This has meant that promotion beyond a certain level in the military and police has always been highly dependent on the politics of the day rather than merit. The saddest thing here is that many very competent and deserving officers have lost out simply because they were the wrong tribe.
Mercifully things are beginning to change now but ever too slowly.
But back to Kariuki's tale. The only reason that Kariuki headed the air force under Moi was because that wing of the KDF has always been "highly technical" requiring officers with a strong academic background (especially in the sciences). The result is that to this day most of the air force personnel are either Luo or Kikuyu.
It is no secret that the air force has always looked down on non-airforce personnel as uneducated and not very bright. "Watu wa mkono" they used to be referred to in the 1980s. Loosely translated it means the people who do the manual work under supervision of professionals. The rest of the military then quite rightly felt that the air force fellows were full of themselves and “thought that they knew everything." Interestingly current chief spook Michael Gichangi is a former senior air force officer.
Peter Kariuki today: Lost 31 years of his life because he is a Kikuyu.
This military politics was the main reason why the 1982 coup attempt failed. Those outside the air force who had to make a quick decision on whether or not to join the coup plotters just couldn't stand the idea of having the air force lead the putsch and so when they had the chance to crush the 1982 coup attempt you can be sure that it was done with more than a lot of relish and gratification.
And so despite the fact that Peter Kariuki was one of the first people to sound out the alarm that there was a coup plot in the offing in 1982 (well before it actually happened on August 1st) and even informing the CGS at the time (General Mulinge), he was arrested, charged and jailed for 4 years for “failing to stop the coup.” He was also stripped of his military rank.
And it all boiled down to the then President’s well known phobia for the Kikuyu. Moi's great fear for the Kikuyu is illustrated clearly in my book; Dark Secrets of the Presidency. “Iyo Kikuyu lazima alijua kitu, rokota yeye.” (That Kikuyu must have known something, arrest him).
Even more interesting was the man who replaced Kariuki at the air force (which was re-named the “82 air force” after that failed coup.) It was the then deputy army commander General Mahmood Mohammed. Mohammed was quite a character. It is said that at the height of the 82 coup he did not trust any other officer to lead the operation to re-take the KBC (held by the air force and being used to transmit news of the “successful” coup countrywide.) And so he removed his decorated military jacket heavy with medals and stars and put on military fatigues to personally lead the squad that stormed KBC and took out the air force rebels with heavy casualties on the air force side (they were not accepting any surrenders). Mahmoud's gun was said to have been one of the most active in that operation.
Mahmood was a career infantry soldier with a very limited educational background but he is the one who got the nod to take over at the helm of the "technical" airforce, Mahmood later went on to take over as CGS when Mulinge retired.
The JUBILEE government needs to address and correct this great injustice against a patriotic and faithful soldier who has suffered all these years simply because he was the wrong tribe at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Read also;Details of '82 coup still classified information
See also;
Raw notes: Rumours of Uhuru being behind Westgate persist
Kumekucha Real Time Intelligence Reports; Ridiculous way "White Widow" got linked to Westgate.
(Click Here to find out how you can get this info plus FREE candid updates instantly in the next few seconds OR send an email to umissedthis at gmail dot com for an instant response on how to get the reports.)
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"Senior military and even police appointments have always been political.
ReplyDeleteThe INSECURE Kenyan presidency in the past has been uncomfortable about having any senior security men close to them whom they do not trust completely. And quite often those they trust have ended up being people from their own villages and where possible relatives. Both Ben Gethi who headed GSU and Bernard Hinga (police commissioner) were relatives of President Jomo Kenyatta. This has meant that promotion beyond a certain level in the military and police has always been highly dependent on the politics of the day rather than merit. The saddest thing here is that many very competent and deserving officers have lost out simply because they were the wrong tribe."
xxxxx
Ignorance of politics! Pretending to know when they know nothing!
In the UK, where SENIOR MILITARY PERSONNEL is not POLITICAL and there is NO INSECURITY, as the NAIVE people delude themselves, we know this:
"The BLUES and ROYALS (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons) (RHG/D) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, PART of the Household Cavalry.
The Colonel-in-Chief is Queen Elizabeth II and the Colonel of the Regiment is Anne, Princess Royal. Both Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry of Wales joined the regiment as cornets in 2006."
NB: What does BLUE and ROYALS mean?
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blues_and_Royals
Also, in the UK WHERE POLITICS PLAYS no part in the HIGHER MILITARY PERSONNEL and where there is no INSECURITY, according to the DELUDED, we know this:
"The HOUSEHOLD Cavalry (HCav) is made up of the two most senior regiments of the British Army, the Life Guards and the BLUES and ROYALS (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons).
These regiments are divided between the Armoured Regiment stationed at Combermere Barracks in Windsor and the ceremonial mounted unit, the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, garrisoned at Hyde Park Barracks (Knightsbridge Barracks) in London.
The Household Cavalry is part of the Household Division and is the Queen's official bodyguard."
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_Cavalry
Please, please, find our HOW THE REAL WORLD WORKS and do not be DELUDED by myths.
xxxx
Anyway, we are "HAPPY" that, the IVY LEAGUE of FOOLS who drafted your WONDERFUL Katiba, are waking up from their ILLUSIONS, DELUSION and CHILDISH FANTASIES:
Source:http://is.gd/WWsYnN
With that, we are off to enjoy:
You are like a RAT caught in the TRAP and only the BLUES and ROYALS serve at the TOP:
http://is.gd/Q2CEg0
And what of the Luhyas, kisiis, Luos who suffered terribly under old Keyatta and Moi? who will help them? jubilee??
ReplyDeleteIgnorance is bliss galore when people's worldview is always influenced through their ethnic prism.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the degree of pre-existing and current corrosive deep seated tribalism that exists "In the UK, where SENIOR MILITARY PERSONNEL ("top brass/officers") etc?
How many major "tribal languages" or rather what is the main tribal language spoken by a larger number of 'SENIOR MILITARY PERSONNEL' in he UK?
Kenyatta and his sycophantic gang of deadwood kitchen-cabinet aka "Kiambu Mafia" and their tribal affiliates, former loyalists and senior personnel of the disbanded home-guard regiments are solely responsible for derailing the young nation and setting it onto a downward spiral course.
Imagine for a moment, the whole of Kenya being run by closed minded members of one greedy and ruthless clan from the island of Malindi during the 60s and 70s?
Deep rooted ugly tribalism is what has destroyed the country and its network of people from different corners of the nation.
97% of Kenyans are infected by deep rooted tribalism regardless of whether they are educated or not, live in urban, rural or diaspora.
It has always boiled down to different forests, bushes, mountains, and valleys but same old tumbiri.
Major General P. Kariuki, talking of the former highly decorated, qualified and overly vigilant commander of the defunct KAF was robbed big-time by real cowards and sycophants in military uniform - wolf skins - and civilian clothing embroidered with multiple colours of wet chicken feathers.
ReplyDeleteAnd to add insult to his injuries during the most painful and darkest moment of his lifetime, his wounds were spiked with salted hot-water before he was subjected to further torture, indignities and later imprisoned by authority of spotted hyenas under direct instructions from certain individuals within the Sate House walls with the underhanded assistance granted by striped hyenas who happened to have been high ranking officers he had once considered to be real comrades.
The despotic powers that were at the time of national wholesale regression, political stagnation, social repression, economic cannibalism and inter--cultural decay, made sure that Major General P. Kariuki's rank, career, unblemished military record, dignity, livelihood, social standing and whatever longtime personal gems he may have cultivated and earned within KAF and elsewhere ended up in ashes.
All things taken into account several years later, it is the likes of CGS Mulinge, Dep. CGS J. Sawe, and several members of the military top brass who should have been held responsible and court marshaled for failing to take immediate emergency action aimed at rounding up and containing the disgruntled elements with KAF's rank and file.
Tupende tusipende, the CGS and his deputy gambled and failed bigtime, hence risking a total failure of national security, jeopardized the nation's independence - whatever was left of it after the despotic 60s - and nearly ruined millions of innocent lives that would have been cut short under military rule headed by semi-illiterate NCOs from KAF.
Major General P. Kariuki, talking of the former highly decorated, qualified and overly vigilant commander of the defunct KAF was robbed big-time by real cowards and sycophants in military uniform - wolf skins - and civilian clothing embroidered with multiple colours of wet chicken feathers.
ReplyDeleteAnd to add insult to his injuries during the most painful and darkest moment of his lifetime, his wounds were spiked with salted hot-water before he was subjected to further torture, indignities and later imprisoned by authority of spotted hyenas under direct instructions from certain individuals within the Sate House walls with the underhanded assistance granted by striped hyenas who happened to have been high ranking officers he had once considered to be real comrades.
The despotic powers that were at the time of national wholesale regression, political stagnation, social repression, economic cannibalism and inter--cultural decay, made sure that Major General P. Kariuki's rank, career, unblemished military record, dignity, livelihood, social standing and whatever longtime personal gems he may have cultivated and earned within KAF and elsewhere ended up in ashes.
All things taken into account several years later, it is the likes of CGS Mulinge, Dep. CGS J. Sawe, and several members of the military top brass who should have been held responsible and court marshaled for failing to take immediate emergency action aimed at rounding up and containing the disgruntled elements with KAF's rank and file.
Tupende tusipende, the CGS and his deputy gambled and failed bigtime, hence risking a total failure of national security, jeopardized the nation's independence - whatever was left of it after the despotic 60s - and nearly ruined millions of innocent lives that would have been cut short under military rule headed by semi-illiterate NCOs from KAF.
Chris,
ReplyDeleteIf some of us may ask, WHY NOW? Why did Kariuki wait all these decades in order to seek overdue justice, restitution and restoration of his rightful rank? Why now in 2013 and not then in 2002 or during the late 90s?
What happens if and when he gets his rank restored in 2013 or 2014?
Will he then have to retire officially with all the ceremonial military handovers three decades later?
Chris,
ReplyDeleteIf some of us may ask, WHY NOW? Why did Kariuki wait all these decades in order to seek overdue justice, restitution and restoration of his rightful rank? Why now in 2013 and not then in 2002 or during the late 90s?
What happens if and when he gets his rank restored in 2013 or 2014?
Will he then have to retire officially with all the ceremonial military handovers three decades later?
"Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteIgnorance is bliss galore when people's worldview is always influenced through their ethnic prism.
What is the degree of pre-existing and current corrosive deep seated tribalism that exists "In the UK, where SENIOR MILITARY PERSONNEL ("top brass/officers") etc?"
xxxxx
Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Little knowledge of human affairs!
UK is a CLASS based society. That is why the BLUE BLOOD and ROYALS are in the places we mentioned.
Also, if you STUDY the LEGAL PROFESSION in the UK, you will find this FACT:
The provision of legal services at the HIGHEST LEVELS and in the most prestigious firms is dominated by white, male lawyers from the HIGHEST SOCIO - ECONOMIC GROUPS from the Oxbridge as opposed to the red bricks universities.
Kenya/African societies are tribal societies. That being the fact, the LOGICAL CONSEQUENCES must follow. It cannot be otherwise.
To believe other DELUSIONAL ideas is to be frustrated over nothing.
NB: If you want to know how tribal societies get transformed into class societies, STUDY the Scottish history of the last 1200 years. Therein, you will find that, the Viking and the Kings were unable to destroy the clan system of Scotland from the 11th Century up to the 19th Century.
After a 1000 years of this war against the clans, then, something suddenly happened in the 19th Century.
That something is YOUR HOMEWORK.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"97% of Kenyans are infected by deep rooted tribalism regardless of whether they are educated or not, live in urban, rural or diaspora.
It has always boiled down to different forests, bushes, mountains, and valleys but same old tumbiri.
10/27/13, 10:16 AM."
Bwa ha ha ha ha he he he hi hi hi ga ga ga fa fa fa
In scientific thinking, we call what you have described a social phenomena, or a fact.
Anyone, including a MAD MAN can see that fact.
But, CAN YOU ACCOUNT FOR IT? That is your SECOND HOME WORK!
Anyway, since IVY LEAGUE of FOOLS produce LITERATE ILLITERATE graduates, we leave to enjoy:
So, you think you can tell?
http://is.gd/aIvX8w
All this 1982 attempted coup stories trying to get Rao!
ReplyDeleteWashing we madimoni
Some of us really hate it when the rest of us have to continue being re-exposed to those onetime flashbacks that could have adversely affected and changed the course of the nation's sociopolitical and economic landscape for all the worst reasons starting from August 1, 1982 and following.
ReplyDeleteA lot has been said and done by many in our midst about what precipitated the August 1, 1982mutiny - 'failed coup' - by disgruntled askaris who were always - and still are - addicted to being addressed as "airmen" - over glorified aviation engineers - just because they were somehow involved with our country's low grade version of military technology associated with flying and operating of aircrafts.
The real beef of the matter is that the former CGS should have been brought before a professional and objective court martial, tried and found guilty by court-martial for absolute failure to declare a red alert throughout the country's armed forces, and institute all the necessary emergency administrative measures that would have enabled the military intelligence, military CID, military police in collaboration with the Special Branch to seek and mweed out the mutinous askari - "airmen" - by all means and in all ways that was at the disposal of DoD and MoD.
The former CGS and his deputy fumbled the opportunity in all ways to the point where not only NCOs, SNCOs, COs and the top brass were left wondering what their CGS had up his sleeve at the time, and why a well decorated soldier of his rank decided to wait for another forty-eight hours even after having been warned in advance by the air-force commander, then guaranteeing the CIC and the former president that the matter would be looked into and taken care of during the first working hour on Monday morning.
What behind the scene poker or chess games was the CCGS playing or trying to engage at the time in light of the hard lessons that had been learned from Ndolo's professional and personal mistakes in a similar previous matter a decade ago?
And was the former president afraid of the CGS or did he consider him as the lesser evil or did he have blind trust in him given the fact that some of his traditional and political arch nemesis had always referred to him as a a passing dark cloud during the transition presidential politics of the day?
Major General P.Kariuki had to be scapegoated and court-martialed -crucified - so that others among the top bbrass could save their careers, political connections and business interests at the time.
Kariuki was a real obstacle in the eyes of many vultures within the country. he was further victimized and made an example of because he was the type of military commander who had repeatedly denied so many greedy politicians, powerful civil servants at the Ministry of Defense and former Ministry of Works, senior military officers at Department of Defense, Kahawa, Eastleigh, Langata, Embakasi, including well connected as well as up-coming unscrupulous business men from eating up funds earmarked for infrastructure development at various air-force bases in the country. Many were very happy of the news about his removal following the August 1, 1982.
ReplyDeleteBan tribal names!
ReplyDelete